This year Hinton is celebrating and honouring 100 years of  hardship, turmoil and joy.

David Thompson travelled the area prior to the development of Hinton, arriving in 1810 on his way to map a route through the Athabasca Pass. Thompson may have been one of the first Europeans to pass through, setting up camp near Brule on his journey. 

The location of Hinton changed 10 times in its early development; its earliest sites varied along a line some eight miles in length. The original location was along Hardisty Creek, where an aboriginal group from the Jasper area had left members stricken with smallpox. The rest of the group travelled to Lac Ste. Anne to find medical aid for the smallpox epidemic which was affecting much of the indigenous population in Alberta. The area was dubbed Cache Picote (Smallpox Camp) in 1870.

In 1888, a trading post was established by Jack Gregg to accommodate travellers along the Jasper trail. The creek is now known as Muskuta Creek after white settlers mispronouned the Cree name – Mas-koo-te-oo.

Hinton has grown from a host of different beginnings. Hinton was so named for William P. Hinton, a general superintendent for the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway, in 1911, but it was not until 1928 that Henderson’s Alberta Directory finally recognized the existence of Hinton (though it was considered to be part of Dalehurst). The construction of the railroad in 1908, led to a construction camp on the flats at Prairie Creek. Four years later, a second town was built in anticipation of a coal mine, two miles east of the construction camp, and in 1914 the Canadian Northern Railway established a station called Bliss, another three miles east of the first “town”. In 1915, even further east, Dalehurst was known as the official post station for Hinton. It was named after a timekeeper who operated the main store during the construction days of Canadian Northern and the Grand Trunk Pacific Railways.

Art Thorsen, a long-time resident of Hinton, used to work at the Luscar Coal Mine. He is well known to locals and now resides in Port Coquitlam with one of his daughters.

Thorsen came to Hinton as a young boy of six or seven years, when the town was still known as Bliss. At the time when the Thorsen family arrived in Hinton/Bliss there were only about three or four families in a 25 mile radius. Back in the days when Thorsen enjoyed the Hinton area, there were no roads, “just old wagon trails.”

According to Thorsen, local resident Charlie Milner bought a homestead east of lower Bliss (now Mary Reimer Park) in 1920 from Omar Johnston and employed Thorsen’s dad, Thomas. Thomas managed this farm from 1921 to 1925, growing hay for Johnston’s dairy stock in Jasper. Thorsen shared his young life with two sisters, Mary [Reimer] and Emma [Nickerson]. After a three to four year stay in Bliss, the family moved to Mountain Park so the children could attend school. Thorsen’s dad worked as a blacksmith in the park. 

“I returned to Hinton in 1929,” said Thorsen. “I was 15 years old and rode my horse from Mountain Park to Hinton – a two-day ride – and camped out one night. 

“I lived with my sister Emma who had a section on the mouth of Prairie Creek (now known as Muskuta Creek) west of the townsite.”  

Milner’s dairy closed down in approximately 1939, as Jasper Park would not allow a dairy operator in the park any longer.

In the days of Bliss, a settlement named Entrance also served as a communication centre in the area. The old town of Entrance got its name as it was the entrance to Jasper National Park, and the last station on the Canadian National Railway before entering the Rockies. The new town of Entrance was formed when CN decided to abandon its track in 1926.

The history of coal mining around Hinton is dated back to the 1900s, when local resident Jack Craig’s wife showed him coal deposits around the village. In 1931, Frank Seabolt and two partners opened the Hinton coal mine, and by 1939 the population of the area had grown to 1,000 residents because of those that came to work in the mines. Coal was a major industry in the village until a mine disaster claimed the lives of five men on March 30, 1938. At 4:15 p.m. that day, an underground gas explosion killed miners Peitro Phillipino, George Blycha, William Ilecka, Martin Sprela and Tony Patushuk. The Collieries never re-opened, but coal continued to be mined into the 1970s, when three mines were operating. 

The population of Hinton would dwindle  in the late ’40s to less than 100 due to a recession, and it was not until 1955 that any real noticeable increase was recognized.

Long-time resident Vic Worobitz came to Hinton in September 1946 at a time when wild horses roamed free near the Wild Horse and Kinky Lake area. A gravelled Highway 16 prone to the whims of weather served as the main highway. He recalled that many coal miners lived in Hinton when he first arrived. Houses had to be moved to Hinton from surrounding areas, including Pocahontas when it became part of Jasper National Park. Worobitz lived in one of those houses that he said used abandoned railway trestles as a stable base to support the relocated homes.  

“There were big heavy trucks at that time owned by different businesses in the area that were able to move these houses,” said Worobitz. “George Beam was one of the early pioneers who helped move some of the dwellings to Hinton.”   

With the establishment of a pulp mill, North Western, in 1955, two towns rapidly formed; Drinnan in the valley and Old Hinton on the hill. After much controversy, the two towns were amalgamated in 1957 and the new town of Hinton was established.

In December of 1958, elections were held in Hinton to select a council and mayor and Hinton became a recognized town with full local autonomy. It was in this year that William A. Switzer was elected mayor by acclamation. He would serve three terms as the mayor of Hinton before entering provincial politics. Many landmarks in Hinton, including a provincial park, bear his name. While Switzer has long since passed, his family members remain in the area.

Other families that were there as Hinton became a village also still have present-day descendants in town. The Woodley brothers, for example, came to town in 1912. The two would meet the train every day, and welcome visitors to the community. It’s where Roy Woodley met his future wife, Dora, who had travelled with her friend as far west as they could on the train. Another common name is Berry. The family arrived in 1912 as well. The Moberly family still has relatives in Hinton. They homesteaded along what is now Hwy 40. A photo of John Moberly exists with Hinton’s first automobile. 

From the mid-’50s on, Hinton experienced growth that has resulted in the modern town it is today. Coal mining would again increase Hinton’s population in the late ’60s, and both the Cadomin and Obed mines are still in operation. 

Many of the town’s original businesses are still in operation. Several businesses in the area remain as staples of the community, such as the IGA, which was owned by the Freson brothers. It arrived in the area in the 1950s, and is still owned by the family. It began as a small butcher shop and grew into the Freson Markets. The local pharmacy, Switzer Drugs, which was run by William A. Switzer, just recently changed into a Rexall Drugs.

With more new businesses arriving over the years, the town boasts a few different shopping complexes, and over the years Hinton has even served to alleviate overcrowding in Jasper during peak tourism season.

Though industry is the main economic driver for the town, over the recent years Hinton has also gained accolades for the outdoor activities it provides. The town is full of parks and trails, and can accommodate the outdoor enthusiast in any season. The town features, among many other attractions, Canada’s longest freshwater boardwalk, a mountain bike park, rodeo grounds and a recreational facility with pools, hot tub, sauna, a curling rink and more.

Hinton will celebrate 100 years at the Hinton Centennial Homecoming on Aug. 19 and 20. Centennial exhibits will be on display at the new Hinton Museum, there will be a farmers’ market and a community dance. The event will be paired with the Athabasca River Voyageur Canoe Brigade Portage Party, in line with David Thompson celebrations.

Historic References:

Hazel Hart, author of History of Hinton and two other books on statistics. 

with files from ANNALEE GRANT and LYNDA GEYMONAT